1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to card games. More particularly, the invention relates to card-type games suitable for gaming establishments and other environments.
2. Description of Related Art
Casinos and leisure establishments continually require new games to offer their clientele. Such games are generally required to enable each player to play against a banker (who usually also acts as dealer) provided by the casino, rather than against other players. Alternatively, in a xe2x80x9ccard roomxe2x80x9d game, each player may have the option to act as banker while the establishment runs the game on behalf of the banker and takes fees from the players.
Players typically enjoy games which can be played rapidly and which offer players a plurality of choices. A plurality of choices heightens player interest in games. It would therefore be desirable to provide card games including a plurality of new wagering options.
Games have been disclosed incorporating multiple wagering choices for players; but often players have the misconception that one of the multiple wagering options is better than the others. As a result, the players only play one of the options to their own detriment as well as to the casino operator""s detriment. Additionally, if a dealer perceives that one of the multiple wagering options will generate more dealer tips than the others, the dealers may suggest to the players that one wager is better than the others.
The present invention provides card games that combine the play of a Poker-variant card game (e.g., three-, four-, and five-card Poker) with a proposition game (e.g., Pair Plus). In a casino embodiment, the invention can be played in conjunction with a conventional casino-type table and a single standard deck of 52 playing cards. In such an embodiment, the table also displays a payoff scale on the proposition game and further instructional and promotional information.
In a three-card embodiment of the present invention, each player places an Ante wager and a Pair Plus wager at the beginning of a round of the game. The Ante wager is a bet that the player will receive a hand with a higher rank than that of a dealer. The Pair Plus wager is a bet that the player""s hand will have a higher rank than a predetermined rank (e.g., a Pair).
The dealer then deals himself (face-down) and each player three cards (either face-up or face-down). Each player, after inspecting his hand, places a Play wager if he desires to continue with the round. If, however, a player chooses not to proceed, his Ante and Pair Plus wagers are forfeited and his cards are discarded. The dealer then reveals his hand and those of each player (if not already visible) and resolves each player""s wager.
A wild card can also be used with the present invention. Such cards are distinguishable from the other cards in play and can also serve as a memento and/or a promotional item to be retained by the player.
As the invention can be practiced on existing casino tables, the invention provides casino operators with additional revenue generating features without requiring extra casino tables, space, or game surveillance.
The invention can also be readily implemented in a wide variety of additional forms and media including, single player slot video machines, multi-player slot video machines, electronic games and devices, lottery terminals, scratch-card formats, software, as well as in-flight, home and Internet entertainment. Moreover, the invention can be readily implemented in software, which can be stored on a disk (e.g., magnetic disk, compact disk (CD), etc.) and used with a computer system.
These and other features of the invention are embodied in a method of playing a card game, including the steps of (a) receiving a first wager from a player that a first outcome will occur; (b) receiving a second wager from the player that a second outcome will occur, wherein: both the first wager and the second wager must be received to play the game, a larger of the first wager and the second wager is a primary wager, and a smaller of the first wager and the second wager is a secondary wager, and the primary wager cannot exceed a predetermined multiple of the secondary wager; (c) dealing hands of cards to the player and to a dealer; (d) receiving an optional third wager from the player, wherein if the third wager is not received, the player forfeiting at least one of the first wager and the second wager; (e) comparing the dealer""s hand with the player""s hand, (e1) if the player""s hand is higher than the dealer""s hand, paying the player an amount based on the third wager and one of the first wager and the second wager, and (e2) if the player""s hand is lower than the dealer""s hand, the player forfeiting the third wager and the one of the first wager and the second wager; and (f) determining whether the player""s hand exceeds a first predetermined rank, (f1) if the player""s hand exceeds the first predetermined rank, paying the player an amount based on the other of the first wager and the second wager, and (f2) if the player""s hand does not exceed the first predetermined rank, the player forfeiting the other of the first wager and the second wager.
The predetermined multiple is at least 2, and is preferably 5. Between steps (d) and (e), the method may further include the step of determining whether the dealer""s hand exceeds a second predetermined rank, wherein if the dealer""s hand does not exceed the second predetermined rank, paying the player an amount based on the one of the first wager and the second wager, returning the third wager to the player, and proceeding to step (f). Step (f1) is preferably practiced by paying the player in accordance with a pay scale.
The first outcome may be the player""s hand exceeding the dealer""s hand, and the second outcome may be the player""s hand being at least the first predetermined rank and vice versa.
The player""s hand and the dealer""s hand may be five-card poker hands or three-card poker hands or any other suitably numbered card hand.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the invention is embodied in a method of playing a card game, including the steps of (a) receiving a first wager from a player that a first outcome will occur; (b) receiving a second wager from the player that a second outcome will occur, wherein both the first wager and the second wager must be received to play the game, a larger of the first wager and the second wager is a primary wager, and a smaller of the first wager and the second wager is a secondary wager, and the primary wager cannot exceed a predetermined multiple of the secondary wager; (c) dealing hands of cards to the player and to a dealer; (d) resolving the game in accordance with predetermined game rules; and (e) resolving the first wager and the second wager based on whether the first outcome occurred and whether the second outcome occurred.